China's long past gives plenty to smile about

On a large pottery shard, two dots mark the eyes and a curved line forms the mouth. Just a few incised strokes sketch a tiny smiling face, resembling a 7,000-year-old emoji.

It's probably part of a cooking utensil, unearthed at the Neolithic Hemudu site in Yuyao, Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province.

A sculpted pottery human head bears dot motifs on its cheeks and what is believed to be a sun symbol on its forehead, showcasing an ancient form of tattoo-like body art. With a quiet, relaxed smile, its face subtly glimmers because natural mineral mica was mixed into the pottery clay.

Unearthed at the Shuangdun site in Anhui province, it's one of the Bengbu Museum's most treasured pieces.

The exhibition Smile: Imprints of the Chinese Spirit in Cultural Relics brings these cultural relics together at the Liaoning Provincial Museum in Shenyang, Liaoning province, where it will run through Oct 22.

Taking "smiles" as its unique lens, the exhibition explores what it presents as the spiritual core of the Chinese nation: benevolence, open-mindedness, inclusiveness, and optimism. It features more than 300 cultural relics spanning 8,000 years, encompassing pottery, jade artifacts, bronze wares, stone-carved statues, paintings, and sculptures.

Curated by the Liaoning Provincial Museum, the exhibition partners with 38 cultural and museum institutions nationwide, including the National Museum of China, the Zhejiang Provincial Museum and the Henan Museum.

Visitors often find themselves smiling back at these endearing relics, their own grins echoing the cheerfulness of the ancient faces, a spontaneous and cross-generational connection that needs no words.

"These smile-themed exhibits bridge the gap between visitors and cultural relics. We hope museum visitors can unwind while appreciating cultural relics, finding pieces that appeal to or resonate with them, and engaging with aesthetic education and other forms of learning in a pleasant atmosphere," says Liu Yun, director of the exhibition planning department of the Liaoning Provincial Museum.

She notes that many young people are drawn to trendy toys, reflecting a widespread desire for emotional value and spiritual comfort.

"We need to ensure exhibitions uphold professionalism from an academic standpoint, while keeping visitors' various needs high on our agenda, such as learning about history and having spiritual resonance," she says.

She adds that even if a museum visit leaves only a superficial impression, people may still recall an exhibition and proactively seek out relevant information when they encounter related topics later.

"Learning is most effective when it is voluntary and self-motivated," she says.

Beyond the smiles of Neolithicera ancestors, which embody reverence for life and harmony between humanity and nature, the exhibition highlights cultural relics that reflect daily life from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) to the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

Brimming with earthly warmth, these artifacts include figurines of working people and banquet performers with lively and relaxed expressions, as well as adorable pottery dogs symbolizing guardianship and household peace.

A kitchen worker figurine immediately draws visitors' attention with a relaxed expression and natural smile.

With its sleeves rolled up, the figurine appears poised to process ingredients such as fish on a chopping board that rests atop a water basin. Inside the basin, a tiny fish seems to leap out. The vivid scene captures the ease and quiet delight of an ordinary Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) laborer.

Another chapter of the exhibition centers on Buddhist sculptures, literati paintings and calligraphy. Among the works on display is a statue of Guanyin (Avalokitesvara) with downcast eyes and a soft, serene smile, embodying the spirit of bringing solace to all beings and peace to the world.

One painting depicts a gathering of seven celebrated third-century scholars, known collectively as "the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove".

Some pluck the zither and let out long, loud cries, while others raise goblets for a hearty drink. Carefree smiles play across their faces, reflecting their unrestrained spirit, genuine character and serene composure.

"The smile of the Chinese people means far more than light-hearted joy. It represents an uplifting outlook on life that persists after weathering setbacks and hardships," Liu says.

In the chapter devoted to mutual learning between Chinese and other civilizations along the Silk Road, various cultural relics bear witness to the route's prosperous trade and demonstrate the inclusiveness and openness of Chinese civilization.

With deep-set eyes and prominent noses, the four bronze figures each hold aloft precious offerings, including a sacred vase, in dynamic poses. Foreigners presenting treasures is a classic artistic theme stemming from cross-cultural interactions along the Silk Road.

The final chapter features artworks depicting contemporary subjects, including the innocent smiles of children and people from different ethnic groups singing and dancing.

"From our ancestors to people of the new era, the pursuit of beauty, happiness and tranquility has never wavered ... We hope to draw on such subtle facial expressions to reflect the inner essence of the Chinese people's optimism and uplifting spirit," Liu says.